The case against God

Some numbers are hard to wrap your head around.

A number like, say, 117, 599,000.

These numbers represent people. Actually, these numbers represent dead people. More specifically, casualties.

Casualties of God.

This number is actually only a small slice of the real number of people killed throughout history in the name of religion.

Casualties of God.

For me, this is just a small reason for my personal disdain for anything religious. To hear the faithful portend that God is good, great, giving, compassionate doesn't fit with the reality of the murderous and callous nature of invoking God's name. It has been invoked in nearly every conflict in mankind's history. The Bible itself is wrought with wars of faith, man killing man in the name of God.

The hypocrisy is a bit troublesome. Why should I believe that God is vested in the personal happiness and well-being of this Earth when He is the cause and reason for so much death, destruction, hatred, and war?

Religion is the cause of social prejudices, clinic bombings. It taints laws and governance. The tenants of inclusion, love thy neighbor, compassion are espoused by all religious believers, but ignored when applied toward those of a differing religious belief. Every church, every religion, believes that they are the "right and true" way to God. Because of this, man has fought man for all of history. Nearly every conflict and conflagration has invoked God as it's cause celeb re.

Think of all of the wars that have been fought due to religious differences, and then think of how many have died in these conflicts.

50 million dead because one failed vegetarian German painter had a prejudice against Jews.

15 million dead because a Catholic zealot assassinated a low-level royal in Sarajevo.

20 million Native Americans slaughtered or displaced because they were "pagan savages."

9 million Russians dead in a civil war that pitted Orthodox Christians against atheists.

7 million Europeans in the 30 Year's War (Catholics vs Protestants).

1 million or more during the Crusades.

2 million Saxons, Vikings, and Swedes died battling conversion to Christianity.

3 million in the battle between the Catholics and the Huguenots.

10 million indigenous Indians in Central and South America battling the Conquistadors.

Over 112,000 in the Troubles, the conflict between Ireland and England.

More than 60,000 died during the Muslim invasion of Hindu India.

Think, too, of the inter-Muslim battles between Shia and Sunnis, the fight over Cashmir between Muslims and Hindus, Kurds being repressed by Muslims and Christians, the genocide in Rwanda, Sudan, the Balkans. 32,000 died during the Inquisition. How many have died in the Middle East due to religious differences?

Gays have been attacked by conservatives. Doctors murdered for performing abortions. The KKK burns crosses on the lawns of African Americans.

And yet, God seems to be there for the vapid actress who had won an award or the athlete who scored a touchdown? Where is He when man picks up a gun and kills his fellow man in His name? Where is the logic in believing in a God that would allow so many to murder, rape, kill, molest, defame, degrade, maim, slaughter in His name? If God is watching over us all, and investing His time in personal achievements, then why is He not also guiding us all toward reconciliation? Why allow so many to claim ownership to Him?

If there is a God, then it's about time He stepped up to the plate, stop being so narcissistic in allowing so many to fight over who loves Him more, or who loves Him in the right way and end the aggression that has sullied His name for centuries.

If we are to follow the mantra: love thy neighbor, then why allow the violation of this tenant for so long? Why allow so many to die in Your name if you preach peace and tolerance?

Religion has caused nothing but misery for mankind since we grasped at something to explain those things in nature around us that we had no answers for. We are enlightened and educated now and can see the world through logical and scientific eyes. We don't need an unseen force to explain thunder and lightening, which is exactly what religion is: a convenient device to explain the unknown during the early days of mankind's' evolution.

I know that I have just offended many of my friends and family who themselves believe in God. I respect those who hold such a deep belief, but I will only respect those who do not disparage the beliefs of others. For if you do, then you are no better than those who have caused and perpetuated the death and destruction of millions simply because they disagree with something that neither of you can see. For those who quietly practice their devotion without impeding on the beliefs of others, I begrudge you not.

So forgive me if I choose not to believe. There is more evidence to contradict His existence than I can reconcile.

Numbers don't lie. And 117,559,000 is just too big a number to ignore.